The skies over Ukraine remain hotly contested six months after Russia launched a new attack on its smaller neighbour. The struggle for air supremacy has overturned pre-war assumptions about Russian air capability, but the scale and sophistication of the anti-aircraft weapons employed have made air warfare costly for both sides. Russian and Ukrainian aircraft are occasionally spotted in combat, and the Pentagon has confirmed that Ukraine is using US anti-radiation missiles against Russian air defenses, but fixed-wing aircraft are not the only aircraft flying and fighting over Ukraine. Transport and attack helicopters played a key role despite high casualties.
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A Russian Mi-8 in the Rostov region on January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov
As with their fixed-wing fleets, Ukraine and Russia have a number of similar helicopters, which is not surprising given their shared Soviet history and Ukraine’s prominence in the Soviet defense industry. Both sides use two models of helicopters: the Mil Mi-8/Mi-17 transport helicopter and the Mi-24 gunship helicopter. Entered into Soviet service in 1967, the Mil Mi-8 — nicknamed the “Hip” by NATO — is a twin-turbine transport helicopter with a ceiling of over 14,000 feet and a top speed of 155 mph. In 1977, the Soviets introduced an upgraded version of the Mi-8 better suited to higher altitudes and warmer climates. Known domestically as the Mi-8M, it is exported as the Mi-17 and has more powerful engines and air filters in the turbine air intakes. The tail rotor of the Mi-8M was also moved to the left side of the tail. The dozens of Mi-8/Mi-17 variants can perform a range of missions including transport, reconnaissance, attack and command and control. The helicopters require a crew of three — pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer — and have an internal payload of about 8,000 pounds, allowing them to carry 24 soldiers. Armed variants can be fitted with small wings that have four to six hardpoints, allowing them to carry missiles, guns, and anti-aircraft or anti-tank missiles. A Ukrainian Air Force Mi-24 helicopter during an exercise near Mykolayiv on September 22, 2006. GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images Before the invasion, Ukraine’s army and air force had 52 Mi-8s, while Russia had about 300. Since the invasion, Ukraine has received 20 Mi-17s from the US, four from Slovakia and two from Latvia . The Mi-24 entered Soviet service in 1972 and has become one of the most recognizable military helicopters. Known to NATO as the “Hind,” it has a crew of two (pilot and weapons operator), a ceiling of over 14,000 feet, and a top speed of about 200 mph. A Mi-24’s armament depends on the variant – of which there are several, including one for VIP transport – but it can carry over 3,000 pounds of external ordnance. Its two ends have four hard points that can be fitted with guns, rockets, and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. The Mi-24’s nose-mounted turret can be mounted with a machine gun or a single-barreled or double-barreled autocannon. Some variants also have side mounted cannons. The Mi-24 also has a small cabin that can carry up to eight soldiers. Thick armour, heavy armament and low, fast attacks have earned the Mi-24 the reputation of a “flying tank”. Ukraine had about 35 Mi-24s in service before the war, and the Czech Republic has donated several more since the start of the war. Russia had over 170 Mi-24s and Mi-35s, the latter an export-built variant, in service before the war.
Russia’s new helos
A Kamov Ka-52 helicopter over Russia’s Krasnodar region on March 28, 2019. VITALY TIMKIV/AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine’s helicopter inventory has remained largely the same since the end of the Cold War, but Russia has made efforts to modernize its helicopter force. One of the most notable additions was the Kamov Ka-52 Alligator attack/reconnaissance helicopter, which entered service in 2011. Known to NATO as the “Hokum B”, it is an improved two-seat version of the Ka-50 Black Shark attack helicopter, which was introduced in 1995. The Ka-52 has a ceiling of 18,000 feet and a top speed of 186 mph. It also has a number of unusual features, including coaxial rotors, side-by-side cockpit seating and ejection seats for its pilots. Its six wing-mounted hardpoints can carry more than 4,000 kilograms of rockets, missiles or guns and ammunition. A 30mm autocannon is also mounted on the starboard side of the fuselage. Some variants also have a nose-mounted infrared (FLIR) camera. A Mil Mi-28 helicopter at the 2021 Army Games in Russia on August 25, 2021. Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images In 2009, Russia officially introduced the Mil Mi-28, a dedicated attack helicopter. Known to NATO as the “Havoc,” it has a ceiling of over 18,300 feet and a top speed of about 195 mph. The Mi-28 has a crew of two, a 30mm gun and four hardpoints under two wings that can carry missile pods and anti-aircraft or anti-tank missiles. The nose also usually has a FLIR camera. Some variants have a radar on top of the rotor, such as the US AH-64D Apache. There are many variants of the Ka-52 and Mi-28, and both continue to receive upgrades such as cameras, electronics and night vision compatible cockpits and helmets. Before the war, Russia had about 130 Ka-52s and 108 Mi-28s.
Heavy losses and new tactics
A damaged Russian Mi-8 helicopter at Hostomel Airport on July 8, 2022. Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Ukraine and Russia have used helicopters since the first day of the war. In the first hours of Russia’s invasion, dozens of Russian Mi-8s loaded with hundreds of paratroopers and supported by Ka-52 attack helicopters swarmed the airfield at Hostomel in an attempt to seize the airstrip and allow transport aircraft loaded with troops and equipment to land . for an attack on nearby Kyiv. The Russians eventually withdrew from the airfield at Hostomel and the attack dealt an early and lasting blow to Russia’s elite VDV paratrooper corps. Ukrainian Mi-24s helped repel invaders at Hostomel and were even seen carrying out a daring raid on a fuel depot inside Russia in April. Ukrainian troops inspect a damaged Russian Mi-8 helicopter near Makariv on April 9, 2022. Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images Sixteen Ukrainian Mi-8s participated in seven equally daring resupply and medevac missions for Ukrainian troops at the Azovstal steel plant, which were cut off during the Russian siege of Mariupol. At least two helicopters were shot down during these missions. As the war progressed, both sides suffered significant helicopter losses in the battle. Lots of videos…
